The Plymouth Fury line started back in 1956 as a sub-series spin off of the Belvedere model, which was Plymouth's base, and least expensive, car. Plymouth added some gold anodized trim, limited paint options, and the Fury was born.
The Fury went through many, many, variations in size throughout its 1956-1989 production run. Full size, mid-size, back to full size, returning to mid-size, this was a car that Plymouth (Chrysler) really put through some changes.The 1958 Fury, for you horror movie buffs, was the feature car in Stephen King's 1983 film CHRISTINE, which is about a car that has a very bad attitude and likes to kill people who it is not fond of. True to its Plymouth Fury roots, CHRISTINE goes through some of her own “changes.”
The 1964 Sport Fury shown here, is a third generation Fury, top of the line, and hopefully rid of any of CHRISTINE'S influences. The fins are gone, the lines are much more conservative, and it is a car that attracted the budget-conscious, but still wanted a nifty rag top.
Powered by a bullet-proof 318 cubic inch V-8, Jack and Cheryl Gallagher's Sport Fury will never win a drag race against the larger siblings sporting a 361, 383, or God-forbid, that 426 Hemi engine. No, this is a sensible car for sunny days, a trip to the beach, or loading up the cavernous trunk with the week's groceries. Instead of a dashboard mounted push-button automatic transmission, the Sport Fury has a floor-mounted automatic, with a manual transmission knob and lever feel. Shiny vinyl black bucket seats will sear your backside on a hot day, and no,air-conditioning is NOT one of the options ticked off on the order sheet.
Sadly, like CHRISTINE, Plymouth has died as well, ending production in 2001. Having started in 1928 as Chrysler's lower end model, this ‘64 Sport Fury is a beautiful example for those who wanted just a little flair, a top down, on a budget.